Diamond In The Rough
by Sacmis
Summary: sometimes people are more valuable and stronger than they or any one else knows. But when that hidden power is known to someone evil...you might be playing straight in to their hands
1. The Unsaid Hurts

_**Disclaimer: sadly, i don't own it.**_

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_Later, they would reflect and say that intellect was a far more powerful weapon than brute strength. They would say they had underestimated his...that traitor's. But truly how were they supposed to know?_

_***_

His heart beat furiously, breath coming in short desperate gasps as his blood pounded around...and out of his body. But since when would Kurosaki Ichigo let something as inconsequential as a life threatening wound hold him back? Besides, at least he was only wounded. Ulquiorra on the other hand was dead. It had cost him so much energy. Stubbornly, Ichigo pushed his legs harder, to run faster, run to where he could feel a group of familiar, good reiatsu.

His breathing was becoming shallower and his legs felt like lead. _'Dammit! Distract yourself, don't think about the pain,' _he ordered his tired body as he picked up the pace. To do just that, he let his mind wonder to what felt like days ago but what was really, only an hour ago.

'Oh look. The piece of scum has drawn in even more scum. You humans are so pathetic and so predictable,' Ulquiorra drawled as Renji, Rukia, Chad and Ishida burst in to the room. Ichigo growled, his voice low and guttural. His eyes flicked to his left briefly where Orihime stood, rooted to the spot, a horrified expression carved on her face.

'Guys take Inoue and get out of here. Ulquiorra's mine,' he barred his teeth together menacingly at the Espada in front of him.

'No, I'm staying here,' Orihime said in a quiet but firm voice. Ichigo growled again, but this time in frustration. Still, his eyes never left his enemy's calculating gaze.

'Please,' she whimpered. 'Let me help you. You're badly hurt, let me at least do this one small thi – '

'Don't you understand woman? You're just going to be a burden to him and get in the way as useless as you are. He's holding back a bit so that you don't get injured. As if it would make a difference,' Ulquiorra coolly taunted.

Ichigo's thoughts blurred by the stabbing pains in his chests that had nothing to do with his wounds, as he took in Inoue's pained and ashamed expression from the corner of his eye. He knew how badly it hurt her – not being able to take an active part in the fighting. But there was no other way. With a heavy heart, he looked at her pain stricken face.

'Go,' he breathed. _I'm sorry_, he added in his thoughts. _But it's better this way._

He was nearly there. The closer he got the more he could feel the anxiety in his friends' reiatsu. Were they under attack? He ran faster, driven by the sudden burst of adrenaline, at the thought of battle.

He reached them within seconds and stood before them confused. They were alone. No enemies around them as far as the eye could see.'

'She's not with you?' Rukia who was standing closest to him asked alarmed.

'Who?' he replied. His Nakama's faces turned solemn. He looked round: Rukia, Renji, Ishida, Chad – _shit._

'Where's Inoue?' he demanded.

_In retrospect, he should have realized that the Espada would never have normally relinquished hold of Orihime so easily, unless there was something..._

* * *

A:N/ so there's the first chap! I know its really short but i promise it'll get better! Ive got a whole storyline set for this! It will overtime become ichi/hime.

Please review and tell me what you think!

Sacmis x


	2. The Reasons

Disclaimer: nope not myn.

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Orihime ran through the desolate barren lands a strange mixture of hurt, fear and determination bubbling inside of her. She knew what she had to do and was about 80% certain she could actually do it. Tears streamed down her face, but they were only from the wind...or so she tried to tell herself.

_I have to do this,_ she thought in a wave of renewed passion...

* * *

'Shit!' Ichigo exclaimed angrily as he dropped to his knees. 'How and why exactly did she get away from you?'

'She ran with us at the start, but then she suddenly stopped, mumbling something about how she couldn't do this no more, before turning back and running to where you were,' Renji summarized quickly.

'What and you didn't run after her?' Ichigo asked glaring at Renji, before snapping his neck in the direction he had just come from, squinting in the distance as if he would be able to make out a familiar wave of red hair. Why hadn't he seen her on his way here?

'We tried!' Renji half shouted.

'She put up her barrier long enough to get away...it only just disappeared seconds before you got here,' Rukia mumbled. Ichigo's eyebrows shot up in momentary surprise. _Had she always been able to put up a barrier and leave it in place while she moved away? _The thought was short lived though as Ichigo's mind focused on what he had come here to do in the first place.

_To become a protector- the damsel in distress thing is becoming so overdone..._

'I'm getting her back,' he growled a renewed spark of fire in his eyes.

'You're badly wounded Kurosaki, you wouldn't be able to-'

'Shut up Ishida!' he barked before adding in a softer tone, 'I have to. All of you go find Unahana-taicho and the others, seeing as you're all pretty banged up too,' he let a small grin cross his face.

_To feel like my coming here wasn't a complete waste of effort..._

Without waiting for a reply he turned his back on them and ran. He'd always been one for action rather than talk. Though for the life of him Ichigo couldn't figure out what it was that Inoue wanted back in her prison of Las Noches. He felt a lump rise in his throat at the thought of her surrounded by all those bastard Espada and Aizen that traitor.

_To not feel so worthless..._

Ichigo may have been dense about a lot of things but he would be lying straight through his teeth if he said he didn't know just how badly it tore Inoue up that she wasn't that much of a help-or at least _that's how she saw it. _He could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice, every time she apologized to him unnecessarily_. Just because she doesn't actively fight doesn't mean she's weak. She faced Aizen and his bastard minions all on her own, even though she isn't a fighter and even if she was, it would have been reckless. _He didn't know what it was about her that made him overly anxious and want to protect her at all costs, even if it meant his own life.

Perhaps it was her innocence. Her sunny and ever happy, warm personality that felt so out of place in the cold, dead confines of Hueco Mundo. Or maybe it was something else, something Ichigo couldn't quite place his finger on. Whatever it was, it made his heart race uncontrollably at the thought of losing her. _Without her-without her-_ Ichigo swallowed forcefully. He wouldn't – no **couldn't** think of a possibility where she was gone. But it lingered in the corner of his mind, teasing him cruelly.

_To not have Kurosaki-kun and the others always risk their lives for me..._

Orihime breathed heavily, but refused to stop moving. Aizen had showed it to her once- the Hougyoko. She moved through the deserted palace quickly, retracing a route she had only ever taken once. _If this is all I'm able to do ,then please, let me at least do it properly,_ she begged. She turned a final left only to find herself in a small, but spacious room, in the centre of which the Hougyoko sat on a pillar. She could feel the immense reiatsu emanating from it in waves. Her knees buckled under the pressure. Stubbornly, she forced herself up again.

'I have to do this,' she whispered to herself. She gathered all her determination, all her reasons for this – trying to truly mean and believe that she would be able to do this. That she was strong enough. Slowly she raised her arms in front of her and closed her eyes.

'Sōten Kisshun, I reject.'

_To not have Kurosaki-kun look at me pityingly again..._

Ichigo may not have been good at sensing reiatsu but even he could feel the sudden, sharp rise in Inoue's. 'Shit, please don't let some bastard be attacking her,' he growled, speeding up. He was almost there.

* * *

'You know Gin,' Aizen drawled, a sick twisted smile on his face, 'this is working out better than I thought it would.'

_In retrospect, Orihime would realize that getting to the Hougyoko was too easy. But in the heat of war, you're desperate. You grab on to any hope you can...you don't see the consequences of it. Not then._

* * *

A:n/ so what dyu think?

I'm surprising myself that i'm updating this fast...i really need to start studying lol.

Btw if anyone's confused about the underlined lines-they're orihime's thoughts/motives that she has for trying to destroy the Hougyoko

I really hope you like it so far – i've got a little twist planned. Thanks for taking the time to read this chap!

Plz r&r !

Missy xx


	3. Brown and Grey

Disclaimer: if bleach were mine i'd be drawing this not writing it, don't you think?

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Ichigo burst in to Las Noches, bleeding profusely. His wounds, which had never had a proper chance to heal, had reopened. In his adrenaline rushed state he didn't notice though, the only thought rushing through his mind was _her_. He followed the feel of her warm reiatsu to its origin, leaving a small pool of blood behind with every step he took. He took a final left and immediately felt an overwhelming wave of relief to see her standing there, safe, not an enemy in sight.

_So what was she doing? _

'Inoue?' he panted, taking a few shaky steps towards her. While he was running he could ignore the pain – that need for rest. Now that he had stopped...he was at his end. She turned to him, her grey eyes wide with alarm and worry.

'Kurosaki-kun?' she exclaimed anxiously. _God, he's losing so much blood! _

'Let me heal you Kurosaki-kun you –'

'No,' he choked out, moving to stand straight behind her. He looked over her head at the glowing dome she had erected and at what lay beneath it.

'Wha-?'

'I'm doing what I have to. The only thing I can do. Try and undo the thing that caused all of this in the first place,' she replied a small, sad smile gracing her oh so innocent face. Ichigo opened his mouth to protest – to tell her that he would take her the hell out of here – but all that came out was a hacking cough...and a trickle of blood.

Orihime's heart twisted painfully. She couldn't bear seeing him on the brink of death all the time (and once again) because of her. Because of her weakness. She kept one hand in place over the Hougyoko and placed the other above Ichigo's heart.

'Sōten Kisshun, I reject,' she said quietly but firmly. Immediately Ichigo was bathed in the warm, healing glow of her powers. Orihime had never tried to use her powers on two separate things simultaneously before and it took everything she had to be able to concentrate on both, keeping them both going. Sweat beaded on the side of her forehead, rolling down her face, before mixing with Ichigo's blood on the ground.

Ichigo watched her intensely.

'Inoue...please stop!' he begged as he felt his strength be restored bit by bit. _Has she always been able to heal this fast? And she's working on two things at the same time... _

'Inoue please! I'll be fine! Just stop this! You need to conserve your reiatsu –'

'No,' she cut him off with one firm word. As if the shock of Inoue cutting anyone off wasn't enough to shut him up the defiant tone in her voice did. She looked up at him and he could see a fire in the depth of her grey eyes that he had never seen before. The sudden spike in her reiatsu, caught him by surprise-he could feel her powers working faster on him.

As she healed him, they never once broke eye contact. A scorching brown piercing in to a fiery grey, trying to work out the reason for the sudden change.

He couldn't say why, but suddenly, it was like time had slowed. Logically, he knew that it wasn't the most appropriate of moments but he didn't plan for it after all.

_She's captivating. _The thought caught him by surprise, like the rush of air when a train pulls in; Butit wasn't the pretty colour of her eyes, but the depth they held. It wasn't her goddess-like body but what she did with it...like healing him even though he could see how much it strained her.

_She's radiant._

The light in front of him disappeared and she fell to her knees, still managing to keep her hand raised above the Hougyoko. Ichigo dropped to his knees in front of her, shaking her shoulders gently.

'Inoue,' he started slightly desperately.

'No,' she replied, firm as before but with a hint of tiredness. 'You're not the only one who can be stubborn you know,' she smiled slightly, looking straight at him again. This time, her eyes begged. Begged for understanding. And he did. He knew that if it were him, he would do the exact same. For some reason though, that thought didn't comfort him. His own life he would gladly risk, but _hers_...

She could see the reasoning in his eyes. Eyes that she read like a book.

'I have to,' she said simply, before brushing his fingers off her shoulder gently and rose to face the Hougyoko full on, turning her back to him. Her fingers only touched his far the briefest second but his hand tingled at the contact.

The protective barrier around the Hougyoko had disappeared.

He stood behind her and couldn't help but notice how her whole body shook. He placed his larger, calloused hands over her small, smooth ones and laced their fingers, before wrapping their arms around her body tightly to support her. Ichigo couldn't help but notice how _right _her hand felt in his. How _right _it felt to have her in his arms. As if his body had been created solely to blanket hers; He was her clothing and she his.

A shiver ran down Orihime's spine as he pressed his body firmly against her back.

'I'm not leaving without you ever,' his low passionate voice murmured in to her ear, his warm breath tickling her neck. 'I swore to protect you and I'm never going to break it. If this is what you need to do, then I'll stay here with you and help you. Just tell me what I have to do.'

_Don't let go of me..._

_I never want to let you out of my arms..._

'Keep me awake. Talk-about anything,' she asked, eye lids drooping slightly. He thought frantically, racing through his mind.

'I'm scared of spiders. Don't tell anyone, but I refused to sleep in my room until Karin took it out for me.' Her eyes opened wider and she smiled. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze.

'Your turn,' he breathed in to her ear, a slight hint of desperation colouring his tone...and something _more. _

The Hougyoko was only a quarter of its original size now.

**

'Don't be so rough with our guests,' Aizen mock reprimanded the Espada, who were fighting shinigami, humans and Quincy alike. They turned to him in confusion. His grin was a sweet poison.

'After all, we want them alive for the main event.'

Yamamoto _sōtaichō_ stared in to the face of the traitor. _What on earth was Aizen up to?_

* * *

_A/n: so what dyu think?_

_! So i got a bit of ichi/hime in yaay-therell be more. I planned out the entire plot yesterday so i should update fairly soonish_

_Please review and tell me what you thought about this chap-constructive criticisms are welcome._

_Thanks for reading this! _

_Missy xxx_


	4. Short Lived Victory

Disclaimer: wasn't myn in chap 1-y wud that hav suddenly changed?

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The orange glow disappeared. It was gone. The small yet ridiculously powerful object that had caused all this mess – was gone. Relief washed through every fibre of Orihime and Ichigo's bodies. And then the astonishment set in.

'I did it,' Orihime whispered, in awe. Ichigo briefly squeezed her hands.

'Yes, you did it,' he murmured in to her ear, just as astonished as she was. He felt a bit ashamed actually. He knew she was stronger than anyone including herself knew, but that she had _this_ much potential?

Orihime laughed in disbelief then turned to face him with shinning eyes. 'We did it,' she beamed. Her smile was so radiant, so bright, that he couldn't help but grin back. With the intensity of trying to destroy the Hougyoko gone, they suddenly realized just how close their faces were. How warm their intertwined hands felt. They jumped apart blushing furiously.

'I...uh,' he stammered.

'heehee...uhh,' she stammered too. He looked up to see her looking straight back at him, mirroring his expression. The faint blush. The repressed longing? Unconsciously they flexed their hands.

_I can still feel your presence linger on my skin..._

The moment shattered as an unbearable amount of reiatsu engulfed them. Las Noches' very foundations shook with the pressure of it. The walls became a road map as cracks began to form. The palace gave a mighty groan, before the ceiling began to cave-in.

_Shit, there's no time to get out, _Ichigo thought. Without a moment's hesitation he jumped at Orihime, wrapped his arms around her protectively and let his momentum drop them on the ground, so that he was now on top of her.

Ichigo winced, knowing that in a few seconds, his back would bear the full force of the ceiling falling down. Seeing the huge chunks of ceiling coming down, Orihime raised her hands above Ichigo's back and wordlessly willed her shield in to place. The debris fell all around them and above them, sitting on her shield.

Ichigo raised his head to look at her. They were chest to chest. She could feel his heart beating through the fabric of their clothing.

'Thanks. You okay?' he asked her. She just nodded, not trusting her voice. He was just about to ask what the hell that was, but was stopped as a second wave of reiatsu rolled around them.

Ichigo was about to get up and break his way through the debris, but a cold familiar voice stopped him.

'Thank you Orihime for your help,' Aizen drawled. At first Ichigo thought that Aizen was near but the strong wave of reiatsu didn't feel like his. _He's magnifying his voice again._

_*_

'Truly, I could not do it without her.' You could hear his signature twisted smile in his voice.

'I didn't truly intend to ever go to the Spirit King...rather have_ him_ come to _me_.'

Yamamoto-taichou's eyes widened in realization.

Aizen seeing the comprehension in the Captain Commander's face smiled.

'Yes, you're probably wondering how I knew. Let's just say, I have a talent for information gathering.'

'What the hell you on about?' Yoruichi shouted, her voice carrying over the 100 metre distance to Aizen.

Of course. How rude of me,' he mocked. 'Let me explain. What you don't know is that all the spirit energy in the world originates from the Spirit King's World and also eventually goes back to it. It's a fine balance; The amount of spirit energy going in and out of there. I realized early on that Orihime's powers could send things _back_ to the Spirit King's World. Now for the balance to be maintained when something as powerful as the Hougyoko is sent back...who do you think will come here?' he chuckled darkly and the sound made Yamamoto's skin crawl.

Another strong wave of reiatsu spread through the air.

'Ah. I see our main guest is almost here,' Gin grinned.

*

Orihime and Ichigo stared at each other; eyes wide open in the same horrified expression. Orihime's fists curled around the material on Ichigo's back as he grabbed her arms tightly.

'What have I done?' she whispered brokenly, breathing heavily.

'Shhh, it's ok, you didn't know,' Ichigo tried to comfort her as his own insides twisted.

'It'll be okay, we'll fix this,' he murmured, before slicing through the rubble around them. He lifted her gently in to his arms and flew out of the remains of Las Noches. She shivered violently in his arms always repeating the same sentence; 'What have I done?'

He stroked her hair over and over, the way he would a child. He looked up and his breath caught in his throat.

'_What?' _They were surrounded by 40m tall black impenetrable walls, snaking across the land in ominous paths. A maze. Ichigo tried to fly above it but was thrown back down by a transparent barrier. His grip on Orihime tightened as he just about managed to land on his feet.

Once more Aizen's voice rang out.

'I thought we could entertain our main guest as well as our current guests with a little game,' he said in his bitter sweet voice.

Another wave of reiatsu wrapped itself around the lands of Hueco Mundo, but this time it was stronger and more pronounced.

'Our guest has arrived.'

* * *

A/n: sooo what do you think?

Reviews are much appreciated-as an English lit and lang student criticisms and comments are really useful (I can sell this as 'school related to my parents).

Thanks for taking the time to read this chap-hope you like it!

Missy xxx


	5. The Maze

Disclaimer: not myn.

* * *

There was a collective silence as everyone held their breath. No one dared to move a muscle. The Spirit King was _here._ Though the majority couldn't see him thanks to the walls of the maze, they could sense his reiatsu. It was unlike any other in the world. It seemed to demand authority and obedience – not in a forceful way, but more like it was something that just _was. _As if it were as natural as breathing.

Even Yamamoto-Taichou, who like most people couldn't actually see the Spirit King, felt the need to bow his head in respect and obedience. Even the Espada felt the pull. The only person who the Spirit King hadn't evoked any of those emotions in, was Aizen...and he was standing right in front of him.

*

'Shit!' Ichigo cursed, gritting his teeth in frustration. _'How the hell am I meant to get us out of this maze?'_ The profanity seemed to snap Orihime out of her shocked state. Ichigo felt her body stop trembling against his chest.

'Inoue?' he asked as gently as he could. 'You okay now?' He looked down at her, trying to find some sort of response. But there was none. For a full minute she was motionless in his arms, her eyes unfocused. His scowl deepened as his concern grew. _'What on earth is wrong with her?' _

'Ino-' he tried again but was cut off when she suddenly jumped out of his arms, the same determined look she had before, blazing in her gray orbs.

'I'm going to fix this,' she said passionately in a low, clear voice, facing the ground. 'I'm not sure how quite yet,' her voice took on a slightly shrill tone, 'but I will. I'm going to go to the Spirit King. He's bound to know –right?' She looked up at him then and he could see that the desperation had returned. He felt something tug at his insides at that look. He felt the strangest urge to take her in to his arms and never let her go; to hide her from the world. '_She is so fragile. Like glass,' _he thought.

'No Inoue. Look, you stay right here and I'll go ask the Spirit King and while I'm at it I'll try and get a shot at that bastard Aizen.' She clenched her fists and actually _glared _at him. In the brief second before she replied, he couldn't but register the slight twinge of pain at seeing her glaring _at him. _

'We're not having this conversation again Kurosaki-kun. Don't you see? Now it's even more important than before that I do whatever I can because **it's my fault!**' Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but she beat him to it. 'The fact that I didn't know is irrelevant. The damage's been done and I need to right my own wrong.' Her voice became gentler again, after her heated outburst. 'I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.'

Ichigo opened his mouth but no sound came out. He knew he had an argument – a damn good one at that - but for some reason the words died at the tip of his tongue. _I don't want you hurt. _

The boom of a loud explosion, followed by distant yells from somewhere on their left, carried through the maze to them. Ichigo turned his head in the general direction of the sound, every fibre in his body itching to go and fight. He looked back down at Orihime, his facial expression clearly torn.

'We can go together,' she pleaded. 'By your own reasoning, it wouldn't make sense to leave me here on my own, does it?' He bit his bottom lip, playing with the hilt of his sword as he deliberated. _She has a point. At least if I'm with her I can protect her._

'Let's go,' he said, grabbing her hand to drag her along with him. Under any other circumstance this would have been cause for a lot of blushing but as it were, it bought comfort, warmth and reassurance. She squeezed his hand gently as they ran and he flicked his eyes briefly in her direction. She was smiling, a hopeful, earnest smile, the fire twinkling in her eyes again.

_I was wrong. She isn't only fragile like glass. She's strong like it too._

They ran for a few minutes, the only sound surrounding them the pounding of their feet and their laboured breathing. They ran in the general direction of that strange commanding but warm reiatsu. But it was hard. Being trapped in a maze meant that Ichigo couldn't just head straight towards the reiatsu, the way he normally would. They would come closer, only to end up in a dead end and find themselves moving further away to be able to get closer. It was a simple case of trial and error.

_I hate mazes_, Ichigo thought savagely. The path curved to the right, further away from the reiatsu, but they had no choice, they had to follow it. They went round the bend and once again, Ichigo found himself pinning Orihime on the ground beneath him, as Zabimaru came flying at him.

'Watch where - !' he started to holler at the red headed Shinigami, but the sentence died in his throat, when he saw how engrossed the Shinigami was in his battle with one of the Espada. Renji just managed to dodge a Cero, aimed his way. He was holding his own pretty well, but Ichigo could tell he was growing weary.

'Inoue you okay?' He asked concernedly, looking at the girl in his arms. She nodded quickly, pushing at his forearms, so that he would get off of her. Ichigo complied and they stood for a moment, observing Renji's battle silently, each wrapped in their own thoughts.

'_Do I intervine? I know he wouldn't want me to, but he's already banged up pretty bad,'_ Ichigo thought, watching the precious ruby liquid ooze out of the Shinigami's back.

'_Everyone is fighting. I know Renji-kun is strong, but that Espada is really strong too...maybe too strong.'_ Orihime thought as the Espada, struck Renji forcefully on his shoulder. Renji winced, but refused to cripple under the pain.

'I can't help him fight but I can try to and I **will **put an end to it.**'** Orihime murmured firmly to herself. The words carried over to Ichigo, who despite the situation, couldn't help but feel his heart grow warm at the sheer force of her will.

In the end though, the decision was taken out of their hands as the maze began to move. The walls slid fluidly, creating new pathways. A huge formidable looking black wall was moving straight between Ichigo and Orihime. Reflexively, she grabbed the folds in his Haori over his chest and pulled him towards her, stumbling slightly. He gripped her wrists to steady her, as the wall brushed dangerously close against his back.

'Thanks,' Ichigo said, relieved that they hadn't been separated. He couldn't bear losing and chasing her again. Orihime for her part, smiled up at him, glad that for once, she hadn't just stood there helplessly.

Renji and the Espada he fought were now blocked from their view. Ichigo's stomach twisted slightly. _I hope that baboon, holds his own._

'My my, what have we hear?' an irritatingly soft, amused voice asked from behind them. They knew that voice only too well and after Aizen's, was the one Ichigo hated most. They spun round, to come face to face with that closed lip, broad, sickening smile, they knew that they would find.

'Gin,' Ichigo spat, automatically moving Orihime behind him, as if he could shield her with his body alone.

* * *

A/n: Hope you're not too disappointed. I found this chapter really difficult to write – could be due to the fact that I'm spending more time with my history essay 

Anyways, let me know what you think – criticisms are more than welcome, as like most people here i think, i want to be able to grow as a writer.

Next chap has been planned-and hopefully i'll find time somewhere between all the essays (i hate AS level) to update within the next few weeks.

As always, thanks for reading this chapter and please review!

Missy xxx


	6. Distraction

Disclaimer: not myn

Ichigo shot daggers at the man in front of him, but instead of cowering in fear, the look only seemed to amuse him.

'I see you've made your way to Orihime once again,' he smiled. Ichigo gritted his teeth, furiously.

'Don't you dare call her that like you know her,' he spat, moving to hide said girl further from view.

'Touchy are we? I see among friends you insist on formalities _Kurosaki-kun_, but amongst us...traitors we're not so uptight. Isn't that right Orihime?' His voice was venom. Ichigo's blood boiled not only at the familiarity (which he himself hadn't even got to) but also at the fact that Gin was insinuating that Orihime was a traitor. And that was one thing he knew, she definitely wasn't. He tightened his grip on Zangetsu and stepped forward.

'Shut up,' he growled his voice deadly calm. Gin's face never lost its sickening smirk but nonetheless, he moved in to a fighting stance, his Zanpakto held out firmly in front of him.

'Inoue, stay back,' he murmured to the frozen girl behind him. He took a step forward, his hand raising to his face before he paused.

'I'm sorry Inoue,' he says his voice slightly pained, back firmly facing her. 'I know – I know you're scared of me like this.' That said, he willed his hollow mask in to place and focused all his attention to the Shinigami in front of him.

'How touching,' Gin smirked. Ichigo growled before jumping forward, his Zanpakto rushing to pierce the traitor's chest. Gin blocked the blow easily, still smiling that infuriating smile. Ichigo growled deep in his chest and went on the offensive again.

Orihime stood frozen in her spot, eyes diligently following the fight in front of her. The feeling of dread, of fear and helplessness that gathered inside her, was even worse now than it had been when she was watching Renji fight.

'_Kurosaki-kun...please don't die. You just managed to beat Ulquiorra but Gin...he's so much stronger.' _She felt her eyes sting uncomfortably but she shook them away, furious at herself. _'Get a grip on yourself!'_ she scolded herself._ 'All you ever do is stand uselessly in the side lines, crying his name. Not anymore. You're going to go find the Spirit King and hopefully – no you __**will**__ put an end to this.' _

She closed her eyes, trying to focus on the Spirit King's reiatsu. _To the right. _She ran towards the passageway on her right, hoping that Kurosaki-kun wouldn't see her.

'Inoue!' No such luck there. She turned to face the creepy hollow-like masked boy, who was both trying to fight Gin as well as talk to her. Taking advantage of his distraction, Gin stabbed at Ichigo who just managed to dodge the fatal blow. Gin's Zanpakto skimmed Ichigo's shoulder though and Ichigo winced at the contact.

_This was why I didn't want him to see me_, she thought desperately.

'Kurosaki-kun I'm going on my own, I'm no help to you here!' She shouted to him.

'Wha-No!' Gin once again tried to take advantage of Ichigo's distraction, this time skimming his other shoulder.

'Bastard. Getsuga Tenshou!' Ichigo watched his attack race towards Gin, who just managed to move away in time. They were neck and neck.

'Kurosaki-kun please. We all have to do what we can and I can't do anything here. I can't always depend on you for everything. I need to do things for myself.' Ichigo spun out of the way of one of Gin's attacks, bringing himself a meter away from Orihime.

'Inoue,' he breathed her name, his voice pained. _It's dangerous for her here – but I can't just let her go on her own either! _Gin attacked him again, the shock waves of it reaching behind him to Orihime, bringing her to her knees. _This can't go on._

With a heavy heart, Ichigo looked over to her only for a second - but took in everything about her. Her stormy eyes. Her lips set in a defiant expression. Her hair blowing round her face.

'Go. Be safe,' he whispered gently, his voice carrying over to her. Then turning his complete attention to the fight at hand, he said in a harder voice, 'I'll be right behind you. I just need to take care of this bastard.' From the corner of his eye he could see her run out of sight as she turned in to another pathway.

'_I can't always depend on you for everything. I need to do things for myself.' _He wasn't sure why, but her words cut him deeper than he thought possible. _I want her to rely on me. To be able to depend on me,_ he realized. He could already feel his chest pang uncomfortably as she moved further away from him.

'Useless,' Gin drawled. ' There's nothing she can do. It's a pure suicide mission.' Ichigo's anger flared once more.

'Let's get this over with,' he growled.

The only thing on Ichigo's mind was how soon he could start chasing after Orihime for a third time.

A/n: so what dyu think?

Sorry if its a bit short but my mum's nagging me to get my priorities straight-namely homework then fanfiction and not the other way round the way i did today.

Please review and let me know what you think-it means alot.

Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter and I hope you liked it.

Missy

xxx


	7. Step By Step

A/n: if bleach were mine there'd be no dispute about ichi/hime vs ichi/ruki cos it would blatantly be ichi/hime. :)

* * *

'Not again!' Orihime exclaimed desperately. It was so frustrating. One minute she thought she was almost there and the next thing she knew, she was at yet another dead end. It was just like with Kurosaki-kun all over again, only this time it was infinitely worse because the situation was just that much more desperate.

_Kurosaki-kun. _Her heart lurched uncomfortably at the thought of the spiky, orange haired boy. She shook her head, trying to clear it of the despair. _He can and he __will__ stand his own, just like I have to,_' she thought determinedly, before she carried on running.

A tall, looming figure materialized not 10 metres in front of her, as it quickly came round the corner. _One of the arrancar,_ she recognized wearily. For amoment, panic seized her turning her legs in to lead. She could see the arrancar's lips beneath its white hollow mask twist in to a wide, malicious grin.

_He probably see's me as some weak, easily disposed of human._ She thought to herself bitterly. _Well not anymore. _She started running again, straight towards the monster who at that moment, raised two fingers at her, a small mass of red energy beginning to ball there.

_A cero. _

Orihime's eyes blazed with a fiery resolve, rather than the fear that such an attack would normally have elicited. She was only 4 metres away now. The Arrancar chose that moment to shoot his cero at her.

'Santen Kesshun I reject,' she exclaimed and watched with satisfaction as her shield absorbed the full force of the cero, managing to remain intact and to top it off, pushing the astonished arrancar back a further 10 metres.

Orihime didn't stop running though. She took a left, constantly feeling for the spirit King's reiatsu. Still, as she ran she couldn't help but feel a bit proud of herself. She knew that she wasn't really strong (especially compared to Ichigo and the others who fought the Espada) but it was an improvement for her. She wasn't ready to use Tsubaki yet-even now, the intent to harm or kill just wouldn't have been strong enough.

_Still,_ she thought. _Step by step._ _I'll get there. I won't fail._

If Orihime had stayed a few minutes longer, she would have seen Yoruichi's astonished face, who having come from behind Orihime, had witnessed the whole thing. Truth be told, Yoruichi was surprised that Orihime's shield had managed to hold out against an arrancar's cero. But she didn't have time to think too much about it. This was war after all. The arrancar that Orihime had pushed back stood disgruntled in front of her.

_Time to finish off the job,_ Yoruichi grinned.

*

Ichigo smirked. It was true that it did look pretty bad for him at the moment; he had a bleeding head wound, both of his shoulders had been hit and he was pretty sure that at least 5 of his ribs had been broken and were currently pressing down on his lungs.

Nonetheless, that cool smile on Gin's face had disappeared. The silver haired Shinigami was sweating and even had blood running down his leg from a wound on his right hip that Ichigo had inflicted.

'Not so high and mighty now, are you?' Ichigo asked, somehow managing to sound smug despite his hard panting.

'You're highly mistaken if you think this is over yet,' Gin spat, before lunging at his opponent once more.

'You're wrong,' Ichigo said as he countered the attack, only to move in to an offensive attack himself seconds later. _Unlike you, I actually have something really worth fighting for,_ he added in his thoughts. Then with a small, knowing smile he said, 'I can't afford to take any more injury.'

*

She was so close now. The reiatsu was so strong and warm...and it had a strange sense of déjà vu about it. She brushed the feeling off and concentrated on making her legs run faster. She turned the final corner.

She had arrived.

* * *

A/n: so what dyu think?

I'm going to try and update every Friday seeing as i only have a 3 hour psychology lesson.

I hope you liked it. Please review and tell me what you think-constructive criticisms are really welcome.

Thanks for reading this chapter!

Missy xxx


	8. Pins and Needles

Disclaimer: if bleach were myn Ichigo would have been wearing a top that covered his stomach in episode... 17? I think.

* * *

Orihime stood rooted to the spot, panting, eyes flicking quickly between Aizen and the Spirit King who were locked in an intense battle. She was surprised at how easily Aizen was able to keep up with the Spirit King.

_What do I do now?_ She thought furiously. She could hardly just waltz in between the two fighters and request that they take a time out, could she? _God I was so naive!_ She could have kicked herself.

The entire time, the Spirit King had his back turned to her. All she could see of him was his shoulder length wavy black hair and the back of his royal blue haori, with the King's emblem embossed in gold on his back. He turned to her then and his grey eyes seemed to smile at her.

_There's something familiar..._

'Nice of you to join us Orihime, but really there's no need,' Aizen arrogantly exclaimed from her right, before moving to attack again. Orihime growled in frustration. There had to me something she could do!

'Please! There has to be something – anything – I can do!' she begged to the Spirit King who had resumed fighting.

'Who caused this?' he asked in a low but somehow gentle voice. He didn't sound angry, yet Orihime couldn't help but bow her head in guilt and shame.

'I did,' she chocked, all her previous fire dissipating.

'Why did you do it?' he asked in the same gentle tone, his back to her. Aizen stabbed at him and he only just slid out of the way.

'Because...because I thought I could save everyone if I got rid of the Hougyoko,' she breathed. The traitor narrowed his eyes suspiciously. _What is the Spirit King planning? But there's no way she can do...is there? Better finish this quickly. He's weak in his earth bound state._

'What would you be willing to do? To give?' his voice was straining. Perspiration was making his black bangs stick to his forehead.

Aizen truly was, a formidable and cunning foe.

'Anything,' Orihime breathed, her fists clenching tightly at her sides.

'Then give it up,' he said calmly, spinning out of Aizen's hold to face her once more. 'Aizen already told you an exchange of spirit particles is what is needed to keep balance between the two worlds. Someone with a high reiatsu would have to be sacrificed to balance out the Hougyoko. Give up what means most to you.'

Aizen wouldn't stand for this chit-chatter and moved to attack again. Even though he was winning against the weakened earth bound spirit king, the fighting did take a toll on him too.

_A balance of spirit particles...someone with a high reiatsu...what I care about most..._

'I can't sacrifice Kurosaki-kun – I can't!' she screamed, her heart pounding erratically at the very thought of it. 'There has to be some other way! Please! He can't die! Not for my mistake!'

He turned to her once more, warm grey eyes looking straight in to her panicked ones.

'Not Kurosaki-kun. Not anyone else.' He looked as if he wanted to say something more, but Aizen attacked him again with renowned vigour. The Spirit King was tiring and Aizen was determined to end this soon.

_Not anyone else..._ The words echoed in her head, as if she were standing in a cave.

_Me? _

Her mind spun for a second. She would have to kill herself...but it was for her friends. For Karakura. For Soul Society.

'Koten Zanshun I reject.' A piercing beam of orange light shot up towards the sky, shattering the invisible barricade across the entire maze. Tsubaki moved at the speed of light, constantly changing directions and breaking each maze wall as he rammed in to it. Even those who couldn't see her yet, could feel her reiatsu rise and wondered what was happening.

He was furious at Orihime and he was letting her know it.

'You're not dying on my woman!' he roared. 'I won't let you!' and proceeded to break down more mazes. By now everyone could see them; the Spirit King, Aizen and Orihime standing there, with a furious Tsubaki whizzing around.

They turned to face her in their shock. Hitsugaya's eyes widened. _Not even us Captain level Shinigami could destroy the maze, yet she did..._

She turned to look at each of her nakamas' faces in turn, trying to tattoo them in to her memory. She saved Kurosaki-kun's – no, **Ichigo's** for last. Her resolve was set in stone and Tsubaki knew it.

**

He had never felt her reiatsu so strongly before. It bathed the cold, white landscape in its bright glow. It moved like a spear through the air, destroying everything it touched. Even though it was destructive, he couldn't help but notice the gracefulness of its attack.

Before he could fully comprehend what was happening – before he even had the chance to move a muscle, the spear turned back on her. _Why is she aiming her powers at herself? _He looked at her then and saw the little content smile on her face, her eyes never leaving his.

Comprehension dawned. But it was too late. The spear pierced itself straight through her abdomen. A clean cut. She fell back to the ground, her eyelids curtaining her grey orbs. Rukia winced at Ichigo's raw screams, burying her face in Renji's chest at her own shock. Her own denial.

'Inoue! Inoue!' he shouted over and over till his voice grew hoarse. He didn't even notice though. He slash stepped to Orihime's side and cradled her body in his arms.

'No, please. Inoue...Orihime, Orihime, Orihime,' he murmured her name over and over again. His heart beat irregularly. He felt **wrong. **The blood in his veins was flowing the wrong way. Like pins and needles, when you can't quite decide whether you feel little pricks or shudders; He was numb. But he was burning, his heart up in flames. A black hole was sucking at his soul.

Sobs raked his body and his tears streamed down his face and on to hers.

He was broken.

**

Orihime opened her eyes slowly, her fingers skimming the ground beneath her as she moved them to rub her eyes.

_Grass? _She opened her eyes fully and sat up, ignoring the dizziness she felt at the sudden movement. She was sitting on a grassy bank in front of a beautiful river. She turned behind her to find a large, beautiful castle that was slowly crumbling down.

_Where am I?_

* * *

_A:n/ did you really think I would kill her? Of course not! This is ichi/hime and i'd prefer the couple to be alive. So what dyu think?_

_I had a psycho lauhing moment in the library wen i wrote the 'death' scene...i got a few weird looks-but oh well._

_I should be finished with this fic in the next 2 chaps._

_Please review and tell me what you thought. Thanks for reading this chap and i hope you liked it!_

_Missy xxx_


	9. Control

**Disclaimer: T.k's property.**

* * *

'_I promise to protect you next time.'_

'Orihime... Orihime.... Orihime,' a low unsteady voice, made almost unclear by its cries, uttered over and over again. For a full minute, it was the only sound that could be heard in the cold battlefield. Ichigo could feel Orihime's body turn cold in his arms, as her warm blood rushed out of her body.

'No-no,' he murmured, defiantly putting his hand over her wound, trying to force her blood back in to her body. He held her closer to him, wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. His mouth to her ear, he whispered harshly his voice cracking, 'Don't die on me. Don't you dare die on me. Please. I can't fail you. I won't.'

The girl in his arms kept her silence.

'Like I said before - a suicide mission,' Gin said mockingly, walking steadily, with an air of arrogance towards him.

'Shut up,' Ichigo spat his voice low, threatening. His eyes flashed black and gold, before switching back to brown. A warning. However, as he was staring at the ground, was one that they missed.

Aizen chuckled. 'Indeed,' he replied to Gin, before turning back to the Spirit King whose face was oddly blank.

'What a shame,' he said mockingly. His voice took on a more serious tone. 'Enough chit-chat.' He flew at the Spirit King and it seemed to be the signal for everyone else to start fighting again.

Clashes. Yells. Cries of outrage. Ichigo tuned it all out. The only sound he heard was her voice and his, resounding in his head.

'_I'm going to fix this, I'm not sure how quite yet, but I will.'_

'_I'm not leaving without you ever. I swore to protect you and I'm never going to break it. If this is what you need to do, then I'll stay here with you and help you. Just tell me what I have to do.'_

He could feel his anger simmering dangerously, just ready to boil over. His body shook uncontrollably. Gin took another step towards him, getting closer and closer, unawares.

Ichigo's reiatsu spiked alarmingly, halting Gin in his tracks. His orange hair lengthened, a full, eerie hollow's mask solidifying over his face...and large horns formed at the side of his head. He dropped Orihime's body on to the floor and stood up in a quick, fluid movement. Gin's eyes widened in shock. There was a hole right in the middle of Ichigo's chest.

_What? _It was the only thing he had time to think, before a growling Ichigo jumped at him, brandishing his sword threateningly, a crazed expression stretched across his mask. Gin just managed to dodge a fatal blow to the heart, but couldn't avoid it completely. He let out a small gasp as Zangetsu pieced in to...and out of his right shoulder. 'Ichigo' twisted his sword round in Gin's flesh before pulling his sword out slowly, painfully. He let out a manic laugh that had the other fighters turning round to face him, their skin crawling unpleasantly.

**

_Aren't I dead? But this doesn't look like Soul Society. _

'_Orihime...' _she looked around, eyes searching for what she would not find_. I could swear I just heard Kurosaki-kun. _She bent over the river, cupping some water in her hands to wash her face. She let the cooling moisture wash away the dirt and the grime. As she bent down to scoop some more water (this time to drink), she caught sight of her reflection – and immediately stood up to look down at herself.

Instead of the tattered monochrome dress from Aizen that she had been wearing...she was now wearing a long, royal blue satin halter-neck dress, with a swirling golden embroidery around the hem, rising up to her knees in an elegant pattern. On her shoulders was a thick, hooded, velvet cloak in the same royal blue shade. She turned her head awkwardly to look at her back and sure enough, caught sight of the same golden royal emblem, which had been on the back of the Spirit King's cloak.

What did this all mean?

She turned back to her watery reflection and nearly screamed in shock at the second reflection in the mirror. She turned to her right to face the owner of the reflection.

'Who are you? Orihime asked startled.

'Hello Orihime,' the woman smiled gently. She had shoulder length auburn coloured hair, hazel eyes and a very compassionate look about her._ I can't help but feel this sense of familiarity towards her, just like with the Spirit King._ Then comprehension dawned.

'You're the Spirit Queen,' Orihime breathed. The lady nodded slightly, with a slightly saddened look in her eyes.

'How do you know my name?' Orihime asked.

'I've always known your name,' she answered warmly. Orihime felt stupid. This was the Spirit Queen –of course she knew everyone's name. She briefly wondered why she felt such familiarity to this woman and if everyone felt it towards the Spirit King and Queen but the Queen didn't give her a chance to.

'I'm afraid we haven't got much time,' she said in her soothing voice. 'Follow me,' she ordered and set about at a brisk pace towards the crumbling castle. Orihime being the same height as the Queen, found it easy to keep up with her.

'Not much time for what? What must I do?' she asked holding the Queens wrist in the passion of her desperation, before letting go quickly as if burned. 'Forgive me your majesty – I-' but she was once again, cut off by the Queen, this time by her holding Orihime's hand. Orihime looked up at her in surprise, as the Queen dragged her through various grand hallways and rooms, all of which were gradually crumbling down.

Still in the same soft but commanding tone she said, 'the Hougyoko crashed right in the middle of,' she gulped, 'the nursery.' Orihime looked at her alarmed.

'Is your baby alright?' she asked panicking, guilt already beginning to drown her, at the idea that she may have accidentally harmed an innocent baby. The Queen looked at her with an unreadable expression in her eyes.

'Yes she's fine. Now what you have to do, is send the Hougyoko back, the same way you brought it here. Then over a period of many years, slowly send it back here, so that the balance of Spirit particles remains. While you do that, I will work on opening up a portal for you to get back.' She opened a large white wooden door and stepped in to a half destroyed room...at the heart of which, right in the centre of the thick cashmere carpet, lay the Hougyoko.

Orihime nodded dutifully, a lump rising in her throat and her palms began to sweat. The Queen, who was still holding one of Orihime's hands noticed and squeezed her hand tighter. With the other she held Orihime's chin gently and turned her face to look straight in to her eyes.

'Don't be scared. You can do this Orihime. I know you can. The only one stopping you from achieving your full potential is you. When you get back, you will be needed, so don't ever forget that.' If her voice was gentle then her gaze was like melted butter. Orihime felt a growing confidence and more importantly, power bud within her. Something within her was changing.

'Thank you,' she smiled prettily at the Queen before turning determinedly towards the Hougyoko to put an end to what she had started.

'Good luck my child,' the Queen whispered lovingly as she got to work on opening the portal back to Las Noches.

**

An echoing roar and a dead traitor later. Gin's mutilated, bleeding corpse lay hundreds of metres away, where 'Ichigo' had thrown it. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Ichigo was far from in control of his body. The heavy, dark reiatsu would have been enough confirmation, even without Gin's inhumane death.

But that Ichigo could get so strong that he could effortlessly kill Gin? Kenpachi grinned. Oh he definitely wanted a match with this boy after this whole thing was over. Shinji gulped as he evaded a blow from the Espada in front of him. _It's dangerous, this level of power that he possesses. But I doubt he'll be able to control it. He's more hollow than Shinigami at the moment...he might even be completely hollow._

'Ichigo' turned his masked face towards Aizen - his next victim, but Tousen got in his way. 'Ichigo' cracked his fingers threateningly. So this would be his next victim.

Aizen would come straight after.

He lunged at Tousen with a speed that unnerved the blind man. Within seconds they were locked in a fierce battle, each giving it all they had.

It was the same all across the grounds of Las Noches. Swords clashing. Metal grinding against metal. Kidou spells finding or missing their targets. Tears of frustration in some cases. Sweat. Blood – endless amounts of blood.

In the middle of all this, Aizen and the Spirit King fought. Limited by his earth-bound state, he and Aizen were evenly matched. Aizen's eyes flashed as he wiped away a slight trickle of blood at the side of his forehead. He wasn't going to lose. No way. He had come too far to turn back now. Gin's death as well as the espadas was a nuisance but it was inconsequential.

He would win this fight. He lunged again, this time managing to graze the Spirit King's ribs. Warm blood spilt on to the cold blade. But it wasn't enough to satiate his swords thirst for the precious liquid.

_The length of my blade will be coated in his blood._

The only person (aside from Kenpachi) who at that moment could meet, if not surpass Aizen's blood lust, was Ichigo. Tousen stood no chance. He managed to land a hit the length of Ichigo's chest. Whilst the wound bled profusely...Ichigo didn't seem to even feel it. He just attacked Tousen over and over again, each blow finding its mark.

It could have been minutes, hours or days. Tousen didn't know. He didn't feel. He dropped to his knees, before keeling over, his face to the ground, blood gurgling out of his mouth. The gurgling stopped as the last shreds of life left him. But Ichigo didn't leave it there. Grabbing Zangetsu with both hands, he repeatedly stabbed Tousen and over again.

No, Ichigo definitely wasn't in control of his body.

Ishida who was closest to Ichigo, rushed over and tried to pull him away from Tousen.

'Kurosaki stop! You – '...Ichigo never gave him the chance to finish as he dashed Zangetsu through his stomach. Eyes widened in horror. Renji quickly shunpoed to Ishida, before Ichigo could finish him off completely. There was a collective intake of breath.

Suddenly, an explosion behind Ichigo where Orihime's body lay, shook everyone out of their horrified revere. A huge dust cloud rose, blocking everyone's view of what was happening. In the silence they could however hear the distinctive sound of a portal opening and closing within the dust cloud.

The smoke cleared, revealing two figures, their faces hidden in hooded royal blue cloaks. One bent over to pick up a small glowing object that lay where Orihime's body had been.

_Her body had been..._

There were enraged cries as her nakamas realized that Inoue's body was missing. Their exclamations were short lived as the figure holding the orb (that looked suspiciously like the Hougyoko), took off her hood, her eyes scanning her surroundings, taking in everything that had happened in her absence.

'Inoue!' Rukia exclaimed in surprise. Inoue's eyes flickered briefly to hers before moving on to Gin's body...Tousen's body...Ishida...and finally Ichigo, who stood still in front of her. Before anyone could do anything – still too fixed in their shock and unarticulated questions – Orihime handed the Hougyoko to the woman beside her and ran straight towards Ichigo.

Multiple cries sounded across the clearing as people snapped back to their senses.

'**Inoue don't!' **

* * *

A/n: Is Ichigo going to attack her too? omg what can i say? I've updated a whole 3 DAYS EARLY and I think it's my longest chapter yet! Yaaay.

Although I'm generally not a fan of mysterious costume changes i figured that: a) Shinigami do it all the time and b) I was getting sick of that frass dress Aizen put her in.

I had originally planned for this to be the second to last chapter but seeing as i felt like adding a bit of angst, i haven't put in what i wanted in this chap, so there'll still be a further two chaps.

Hope you liked it and thanks for reading!

Pretty please review? I can't give you cookies but I promise to try to update again this week.

Missy

xxx


	10. What's within

A/n: I dedicate this chap to my Bessie Sajni (see? I did update today lyk you wanted!) for being a great mate and nagging me to get this done. Not to forget to mention, going to all those shops with me today.

Disclaimer: Sadly it's not mine.

* * *

'**Inoue don't!'**

She heard the screams but ignored them, pushing her legs harder to move faster towards him. He just stood there. Waiting. Observing. Biding his time. After what felt like an eternity, she stood before him, hands on her knees as she tried to regain her breath, eyes never leaving his.

Suddenly, his arm shot out, his long fingers wrapping menacingly around her neck, though he put no pressure behind the hold. That fact didn't stop a few alarmed cries to sound across the clearing. From her peripherals, Orihime glimpsed Renji make a move towards her but she held up a hand to him, stopping him in his tracks. Her eyes never once left Ichigo's. 'Stay,' Orihime said calmly, her voice carrying over to the stunned spectators.

Aizen and the Spirit King continued fighting but at a slower pace, both their interests piqued by what was going on not 20 metres away. An apprehensive expression crossed the Spirit King's face.

Orihime took a deep breath, trying to control her raging emotions. Her pulse quickened and 'Ichigo' could feel it pulse against his fingers. The feel of life rushing beneath his fingers tempted the monster's blood lust and he began to squeeze, wanting to stop the beat against his fingers.

She raised her hand again, feeling rather than seeing, her nakamas come to try to save her. Trying hard to suppress the natural urge to grab at the hand around her neck and try to pull it off, she instead placed her hands on his bare shoulders gently.

'Kurosaki-kun, stop. I know you're in there.' What with her airway being constricted, the words came out half choked but she hoped they were clear enough for him to understand. She squeezed his shoulders lightly, reassuringly, never once breaking eye contact. 'This isn't you Kurosaki-kun.' The grip on her arm loosened a fraction and his whole arm began to shake.

'The Kurosaki-kun I know is strong but merciful, even to his enemies. You can regain control of your body Kurosaki-kun, I know you can. I have faith in you.' The shaking stopped and an audible crack could be seen and heard as half of his mask broke off and feel to the ground. Before her eyes, his hair shortened, the horns disappeared, the hole in his chest closed up and the other half of his mask fell off. Instead of a dark emptiness, warm, fiery eyes stared at her, a million emotions flashing through them and she read each like a page in a book; confused, relieved, astonished, elated, something she couldn't quite understand but made her insides twist with its intensity, before finally horrified, as he realized how his hand was positioned.

He let go off her immediately as if her skin had scorched him.

'Inoue I – what? – I'm so sorry!' he exclaimed clearly anguished. He raised his hands gingerly to her neck, letting his fingers glide across her skin as he examined the red marks he had left, feeling a crippling amount of guilt and self disgust well up inside him. Orihime for her part was trying to discretely provide her lungs with as much air as possible, without letting Ichigo know. She could tell from his look that anything more, would have probably sent him over the edge.

She grabbed his hands from around her neck but held them there, her small hands barely managing to grip round his big ones. 'Stop,' she commanded gently. 'It's not your fault. You're in control now and that's all that matters.'

As she dropped his hands she couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. His fleeting, gentle touch had caused a gentle tingling sensation to pattern her skin, wherever he touched it and she longed to feel it again.

He looked like he was going to protest, but was interrupted by a piercing cry.

'Nooooo!' Orihime whipped her head round behind her, to the origin of the anguished cry. It was the Spirit Queen. Following her gaze, Orihime's heart nearly sunk in to a pit. Aizen had finally managed to land serious blow. The Spirit King sank to the ground. Orihime and the Spirit Queen wasted no time and ran straight to him. On closer inspection, Orihime noticed with a sickening lurch of her stomach, that Aizen had pierced straight through his chest, not two centimetres off where his heart was.

By now the Spirit Queen had arrived. She knelt at the Spirit King's side, cradling his head in her lap, whilst stroking his face lovingly. Orihime put her hand to her hairpins, ready to call out her shun shun rikka.

'Oh no you don't,' an all too familiar voice sneered from above her. Aizen's lips parted, to start forming a kidou spell, but a snarling Ichigo rushed up to attack him. Her nakamas, the vizards and the shinigami all rushed to attack Aizen too.

Though worried about her friends' safety, she was grateful for the opportunity it gave her to heal the Spirit King uninterrupted. The Spirit Queen continued to stroke the King's face, smiling down at his wincing face.

'You'll be okay,' Orihime said, trying to reassure the two. The Spirit Queen looked up at her, a warm smile gracing her features.

'We know,' she replied serenely. 'Just like you have faith in that Kurosaki Ichigo, we have faith in you Hime.' A strange warmth spread through Orihime's abdomen at the use of the nickname.

'I can't help but feel like I know you...and that nickname seems so familiar.' She dropped her hands and the orange glow disappeared as the Spirit King's wounds healed completely.

'That's because it is,' the Spirit Queen breathed. Orihime looked her straight in the eyes and was surprised to find that the Queen's eyes were shinning with unshed tears.

'My Hime. My beautiful Hime,' she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Something moved within Orihime's very core, licking at the edges, ready to release a deep, intuitive truth. Before Orihime had a chance to question them or understand what was going on within her, a cold laugh rang in her ears.

Her head twisted up quickly and a strangled gasp of horror escaped her lips. Her allies, 'the goodies'...were fighting among themselves. Shinigami against Vaizard. Human against Shinigami. Vaizard against Vaizard. In the midst of it all stood Aizen, observing his surroundings with great humour evident upon his face. Orihime flinched as Yoruichi dug her sword in to Sado's unarmoured shoulder and Hirako took off both of Rukia's legs from the knees downwards, in one stroke. Orihime had to hold back the bile that rose in her throat.

'Kanzen saimin,' muttered the Spirit King grimly, sitting up. 'A very powerful shikai, indeed.'

Orihime's body shook violently, her fists clenching. _There has to be something I can do! I can't just sit here watching helplessly!_

'You can help Hime,' the Spirit King told her gently, a supportive look in his eyes. Orihime raised her eyes to look at the pair, confusion and hope fighting for dominance on her face.

'Remember what I told you before in the palace Hime?' The Spirit Queen asked.

Orihime's eyes flashed in recognition, the Spirit Queen's words playing in her mind.

'_Don't be scared. You can do this Orihime. I know you can. The only one stopping you from achieving your full potential is you. When you get back, you will be needed, so don't ever forget that.'_

Something that had slowly begun to change and grow within her since she had been kidnapped, was suddenly released. It was as if a long lost key had been found to a box within her...one that contained all her power. She could feel it coursing through her veins. She knew what she had to do.

Her resolve was set, stronger than it ever had been before.

Aizen looked over to them then, ready to finish the Spirit King off once and for all. He was taken aback though as Orihime stood and moved towards him with a hard, blazing look in her eyes that he had never seen before. The knowing smile that the rulers of the Spirit Realm shared unsettled him, though he gave no outwards appearance of it.

Something was not right...

Orihime took in a deep breath. Wordlessly, she raised her arm in the direction of her fighting allies. Immediately, her shun shun rikka flew over to them, creating a huge wall like barrier, that pushed all of them back, away from Aizen. Behind her shield, they were away from Aizen's Zanpakto's influence. Gradually, they came to their senses, realizing what had happened.

'Inoue!' Ichigo shouted to her in surprise, as he saw her standing in front of Aizen all alone, unprotected. Inoue's warm reiatsu was all around them, in the very air they breathed, reassuring them. She looked up to him and shook her head gently. He bit his lip in frustration, knowing she wouldn't budge her shield. It didn't stop him from banging against it though, his fists pounding out the rhythm of his speeding heart.

Aizen stared at the girl before him in wide eyed horror. It was the most significant amount of genuine emotion to be displayed on his face, but he was beyond caring.

'How did you do that?' he hissed. 'No one has ever been able to withstand or reverse the effect of my Kanzen saimin.' Orihime glared at him coldly. It was so unlike her to feel such-such **hate- **for anyone. _But everyone has a limit,_ she mused, her gaze flicking back to her severely wounded nakama. _And he's gone way past mine. _Almost as if to spite him- to throw the damage he caused back in his face-she raised her hand again towards her shield. It started to glow more brightly.

Before her very eyes, Rukia's legs were regenerating bit by bit. Startled gasps echoed each other as everyone's' wounds were healed; from whole limbs to tiny superficial scratches. All was healed, leaving no evidence that anything had ever happened. They were now observers to a tense stand off.

Aizen laughed humourlessly. 'You can't beat me Orihime. The rise in your power though remarkable, is inconsequential. I know you Orihime. Know exactly how your mind works. You simply haven't got the killing intent to finish me off.' He smiled victoriously.

Orihime shook her head slowly, before staring him straight in the eyes. There was no fear. Only a set, fiery determination. 'You're wrong,' she said, her clear voice loud enough for everyone to hear. The side of her neck began to glow and everyone stared at it transfixed.

Ichigo continued to bang against Orihime's shield, his heart leaping to his throat. He had to get to her! _That bastard had better not lay a single finger on her._

The glow vanished from around her neck and left in its place, was the royal crest, clear for everyone to see. Aizen's eyes bulged.

'You're-you're the Spirit King's daughter!' he exclaimed outraged. How could he have overlooked that? But nothing like that was mentioned in any of the old documents he had gone through...

'Yes. I am,' Orihime stated a bright smile directed at the Spirit King and Queen. A sense of rightness filled her and she knew her words to be true. There was complete silence as everyone digested the information. Ichigo momentarily stopped banging on the shield in his shock, but resumed after merely seconds. _Spirit princess or not, I'm not leaving her there, unprotected dammit!_

Orihime looked up at him once more, smiling gently, her eyes alight. He stopped his pounding, transfixed in her gaze. _'_It's a matter of perspective you see' she said, her words aimed at Aizen. . 'My intent may not expressly be to kill but to protect.' The intensity of her gaze intensified then and he knew her next words were solely for him. 'And I will fight to protect all those that are important to me.'

They could have been his words. Because of that he knew what she planned next. His pounding resumed, this time more desperate than before. Orihime raised her hand, straight at Aizen. Aizen's eyes narrowed and he flew at her, his Zanpakto poised ready to rip her heart out of her chest. It wanted her blood.

Without a word, Tsubaki flew at a blinding speed towards Aizen.

Ichigo drew blood as his nails dug in to his palm. He could swear his heart stopped beating. There was a bight spear-like light as Tsubaki cut straight through Aizen's body. Blood seeped out of his wound and mouth, before he keeled over. Unmoving. Lifeless.

Orihime stared at the body at her feet for a full minute. Her shield broke suddenly as sobs began to rake through her body. Her nakama ran towards her, the first of which was Ichigo. Still in a state of shock – and intense relief – he crashed her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her tightly, burying his face in her hair.

* * *

A/n: so what dyu think!

See-i updated twice this week! Ain't i good? Lol. Big thanks to Copperheadfightingninja for persuading me to read the manga...omg don't you totally think it's proof against ichi/Rukia fans that that ichi/hime will prevail? Right that out of the way

Congratulations to Sherrybaby29 for guessing that Orihime was the Spirit Queens daughter! I've been dropping hints for so many chaps now lol.

Next and final update will probably be next Friday-expect a few explanations and ichi/hime goodness.

Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading and if you could, pretty please review?

Missy

x


	11. Indirect Speach

Disclaimer: i own nuffin

* * *

Jubilant yells of triumph. Gasps of disbelief. Excited chatter and pats on the back. Ichigo and Orihime blocked it all out. For now, there was no one there but them.

It wasn't a conscious decision Orihime made when her hands whispered a _need for comfort_, as they clung to the fabric of his haori. Neither was it a conscious decision on Ichigo's part, when his arms held _reassurances of protection_, as they snaked around her tightly, holding her as close as physically possible to his body.

The tears that rolled down her cheeks and hit his chest spoke of _guilt and regret._ Guilt that she had actually taken life, no matter how despicable the person was. But also regret at the fact that she felt that way still. His face buried in her hair, gently nuzzling her long tresses whilst breathing in her scent, wordlessly replied that _it was ok. That she would never have to go through that again, because he would be there._

Silently, their bodies conversed, conveying meaning that words could not.

It was such an intimate moment that Rukia felt the need to look away, her cheeks flushed. Quickly, she dragged Renji away by the ear, who having caught sight of the two, had opened his mouth to make some stupid remark.

The Spirit King and Queen shared a knowing look at the sight of their daughter in the arms the young Kurosaki. The Spirit King squeezed his wife's arm gently and she wrapped her arms around him in response. A slight tremor in the ground, caused yells and jumps of alarm to ring across the area. It was a rude awakening as Ichigo and Orihime finally came to their surroundings. Their eyes seemed to come back in to focus, as if they had been in a daze.

Realizing just how close and how intimate they had been only seconds ago, they jumped apart, staring diligently at their own feet, to hide the red hue on their cheeks as well as the lingering longing look in their eyes.

The Spirit King let out a sad, wistful sigh. 'It is almost time,' he said in his low, powerful, yet oddly tender voice. As the overwhelming force of Orihime's reiatsu ebbed away and returned to normal, shinigami, humans and vizards alike fell to their knees, at the force of the combined reiatsu of the Spirit King and Queen. It wasn't rough and stifling though. Like before, it held a certain need for respect, rather than forced obedience. The only person who managed to stand her ground, was Orihime and even she had her head bowed.

The ground trembled again, this time a bit more violently.

''We haven't got much time, what with all three members of the Royal family plus the Hougyoko in one area, there is a great imbalance in Spirit particles,'' said the Spirit Queen, a slight crease between her brows.

'Rise,' the Spirit King ordered softly. Everyone complied immediately, but kept their heads bowed. The King shook his head. 'Have no fear. Look at us.' Once more they complied, shocked at the Spirit King's humility. He had always been portrayed as something mysterious and other worldly. But he-he treated them as _equals._ Even Ichigo, who for the most part had a serious disregard for authority, couldn't help but feel respect fill his chest...and with it a growing sense of shame and worthlessness.

'' We would like to thank you. All of you. For your effort, sacrifices and sheer determination. Truly, without you Aizen may well have succeeded. And secondly and most importantly, for being there for our Hime. My daughter...' he reached out a hand to Orihime, who hesitantly took it. Gently, he pulled her towards him and kissed her forehead lovingly as only a father could. Orihime felt her body tremble with pent up emotion and her eyes sting uncomfortably as her mother pulled her towards her, kissing her too and cupping her cheek adoringly.

Once more the ground trembled, making some people wobble. The hand on Orihime's cheek tightened and a pained look crossed the Queen's eyes.

''Mum?'' she asked, the word feeling both foreign and familiar in her mouth. Swallowing to try to lodge the lump in his throat, the King spoke, his voice laced with regret. ''It seems cruel, I know. To have had to send you to Earth as a baby and now where we are finally reunited, we have to part ways once more.'' Orihime gripped the wrist of the hand on her cheek.

''What? Why?'' _To have just found my family...only to lose them so soon?_

''The spirit particle imbalance,'' Urahara whispered sadly.

''Yes,'' the Spirit Queen breathed, tears rushing to her eyes. She leaned her head towards Orihime and their auburn hair mingled, as if one.

''Your place is here on Earth little Hime,'' the Spirit King went on. ''Just as we have our responsibilities in the Spirit Realm, you have your responsibilities here. As guardian over the living and to help the Shinigami as best you can.'

The ground shook once more, the remains of Las Noches in the distance shifting and crumbling even more.

''We will meet again someday,'' the King assured her quickly. Time was running out.

''Orihime, just know that we are exceptionally proud of the woman you are and have become,'' her mother said, tears flowing freely down her face, mirroring her daughter's. The King nodded vigilantly, grey eyes boring in to grey eyes. ''The fact that you would sacrifice your life for others is testament to that.''

The ground shook again, groaning loudly in protest. _This isn't meant to be for me...at least not now,_ Orihime realized. A sudden, alarming thought crossed her mind.

''Is-is Sora my real brother?' she asked her voice cracking. The King smiled slightly. 'Not in the biological sense, no.'' Orihime felt her heart pummel to the ground. Ichigo didn't have to see her face to know how distraught she was. He was tempted to wrap her in his arms again...but his self disgust stopped him.

''But he is your brother Hime, in all sense of the word,'' the Queen said. ''He raised you, he was there for you. He **is** your brother. Biological isn't everything. Your friends can testify to that. After all, you're all a sort of family after all,'' she said looking at each of Orihime's nakama in turn. Her gaze lingered the longest on Ichigo.

The sand jumped up and down in a quick tempo as the ground shook more prolonged. ''We're always watching over you my little Hime,'' the King said, kissing his daughter's forehead one last time, before stepping back, preparing to open a special portal. The queen hugged Orihime tightly to her. Though still sniffling, Orihime could hear the whispered words clearly.

''Don't be afraid my Hime. Trust a mother's intuition...what you feel is worth more than just five lifetimes. What you have, transcends death.'' Orihime froze, swallowed and relaxed in to the hug again.

''Thank you,'' she whispered back. The Queen laughed lightly, pulling slightly back to wipe the tears of her daughter's face.

''It's time,'' the King said, his voice subdued. The Queen released Orihime from her arms slowly, trying to prolong the inevitable as much as possible. The ground shook more and more violently, but mother and daughter didn't notice.

''Once again, thank you,'' the Spirit King exclaimed loudly to the group, his voice saturated with deep gratitude. They turned their backs on them and walked through the portal.

As soon as the portal vaporized in to thin air, the trembling in the ground stopped. Orihime turned towards her friends a small, sad, but understanding and mature look on her 16 year old face. Truly she had grown in this short amount of time and not just in powers.

*

''He's her choice,'' the king said to his wife, walking hand in hand through the castle they would have to repair.

''Yes,'' she said, a smile firmly upon her lips. ''And I couldn't be happier for her.''

*

To say that normal felt wrong, was the biggest understatement of the century. Upon returning from Hueco Mundo, she had gone to Soul Society to heal the wounded and restore damage there. Of course a lengthy talk with the Captain Commander had been in order. Once he had been updated of Orihime's new 'status' he had all but kissed her feet. Ichigo couldn't help but clench his fists in anger. _Not weeks ago, he had branded her a traitor and now he's acting like a slimy git._

When they had finally been allowed to go home, it had been more than disturbing. The calmness. The trivial everyday atmosphere in the streets they had grown up in.

When Orihime returned to her small empty flat, she couldn't help but rush to her bed and curl in a foetal position, tears streaming down her face. The solitary feel of her flat was more obvious to her than ever before. To have had a family...to have gone through so much change in such a short period of time...to have her heart throb painfully but yet pleasantly at the thought of a certain orange haired substitute shinigami...

She tried to wipe the tears away furiously at first but then let them fall. _Sometimes...sometimes it's better to cry. To just let it all out. I'll be alright after that._ So she would be.

Initially, Ichigo had hugged his sisters and didn't even bother side stepping his dad's fly kick. After the relief of seeing his family safe set in, he retreated in to his room, just lying on the bed. Rukia wasn't due to come back for another two days, for the start of school, so he could wallow in his misery undisrupted. He had told them that he felt tired after his trip, but it was a lie. Orihime had restored all his energy.

_Orihime, no - Inoue... Inoue._

Her name rang through his head over and over. Ichigo was dense about a lot of things, primarily his feelings. But even he couldn't deny what he felt anymore. The first indication had been when he found out she had been kidnapped...a sharp stab in his chest...which intensified with each new danger they faced. He had fallen for her deeply and irrevocably he knew..._But I'm not good enough for her. _He clenched his fists angrily.

The first morning back at school, Tatsuki ran at Orihime hugging her tightly, relief pouring out of every fibre of her body.

''You will explain everything to me, no excuses,'' she growled. Orihime smiled and nodded. ''I will, just, not today.'' Tatsuki nodded, knowing that Orihime would stick to her word.

''My Orihime, how I've missed you!'' the crazy psycho lesbian known as Chizura, made a mad dash for Orihime's breasts, but was almost reflexively intercepted by Tatsuki, who now had her foot pressed against the lesbian's head.

''When will you ever learn?'' she growled good naturedly at her. All was right in the world. Things were as they should be even if they were slightly strange. Ichigo entered the classroom with Rukia then and involuntarily his gaze was drawn to the one person, he wanted to avoid. But he couldn't look away from her lively grey orbs. He was caught in her gaze and she was equally transfixed by his. Half a minute passed, neither looking away, so many emotions flicking through their eyes it was too quick to catch.

I guess everything isn't quite right after all, Tatsuki thought. Her eyes slid from Ichigo to Rukia and the two exchanged significant glances.

''ICHIGOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'' Keigo yelled running straight at the said teen. Just like that, the moment broke and Ichigo raised a fist, knowing Keigo's face would meet it. To the more unobservant members of their class, the last 30 seconds hadn't happened or had any meaning and everything was just as it always had been. Their nakama noticed though, even if they didn't comment on it.

Classes that morning had been the same as before. Sure sensei had badgered them a bit about their sketchy sick note (provided by Shinji, who had forged a doctor's note claiming they all had severe food poisoning from some shabby restaurant) as well as giving them masses of catch up work...but the classes were the same. Not the material. But the feel of it.

The note passing when students thought Sensei wouldn't notice. Chalk flying at them when they realized that that hadn't been the case. That same familiar lull of events was a comfort to them, no matter how small.

The lunch bell finally rang and Ichigo rushed out to get to the roof top. He really needed some fresh air, after having being cooped inside for so long. He was shortly followed by Chad, Ishida, Keigo, Mizuiro, Rukia, Chizura and a bunch of other girls. Briefly he wondered why all those girls were coming too-_but of course,_ he answered himself_. They want to sit with Ori – Inoue. Inoue, _he corrected himself mentally.

''Hey Orihime, aren't you coming?'' Tatsuki asked, waiting at the door of the otherwise empty classroom.

''Yes, in a minute Tatsuki-chan. Go on ahead. I left my lunch box in my locker. I'll be up before you know it,'' she waved the girl towards the stairs to the roof top.

''If you're sure,'' Tatsuki replied. Orihime just gave one of her trademark bright smiles. As soon as Tatsuki got to the roof top she could tell that the boys were disgruntled, by their new lunch mates. After catching a few phrases from the girls' conversation, she couldn't blame them.

''Edward Cullen is sooo fit!''...Yes, she really could sympathize with the guys. Rukia on the other hand, was completely taken by it. Vein throbbing threateningly on his temple, Ichigo stood abruptly and headed towards the door.

''Where are you going Kurosaki?'' Ishida asked, adjusting his glasses. _None of your business._

''Toilet,'' he answered, turning his head to answer him as he took the first step down the stairs. Having his head turned meant that he hadn't seen Orihime come up the stairs, who was looking down (probably in an attempt not to trip), only for him to bump in to her. She started to fall backwards, arms flailing wildly in a desperate attempt to regain her balance. Wide eyed and heart in his throat, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her towards him. She crashed in to his hard, sculpted chest, grasping a hold of his shirt to steady herself.

Realizing that he (once again) found himself in a rather intimate position with the girl whose face haunted his mind, he let go of her.

''You ok?'' he asked gruffly, scanning her body for any sign of injury and breathed a sigh of relief when he found that she was unscathed.

''I'm fine,'' she said one of her heart warming smiles plastered across her face. ''Thank you Kurosaki-kun.'

''Don't mention it.'' They stood for a moment in a tense, electrifying silence, before Orihime broke it.

''So where were you heading, Kurosaki-kun?''

''Umm...'' he was going to say 'toilet' but found that he didn't want to lie to her. _Even for something so small, she deserves better. _

''The girls are having a Twilight gushing discussion and I didn't want to hear it all again. Seriously, I've heard it all from Yuzu a million times before – I pretty much know the book inside out,'' he huffed.

''Really?'' she asked enthusiastically. ''I really love it. Particularly Edward's character.'' Orihime swallowed audibly. ''I just wish he would realize sooner that he isn't some monster. That there's no need for all the self-hate and disgust that he feels.'' Her gaze pierced his very soul, digging, searching and plundering his very being. Ichigo swallowed, his throat suddenly very dry. Somehow he had the feeling they weren't really talking about Edward anymore.

'No there is. He isn't worthy of Bella. She's such an innocent girl, with the possibility of leading a safe normal life – even if she is a bit clumsy – but still. All he does, is put her in life threatening danger. What kind of a person is that? He isn't even human...and he fears not being able to control himself. That he would end up hurting her.' Ichigo's gaze flickered to her neck, where his hand had been only days ago.

They weren't talking about Bella either and they both knew it. Orihime looked him straight in the eyes trying to pluck courage from her mother's words. '_What you feel is worth more than just five lifetimes.'_

''No he wouldn't and Bella knows that. She appreciates the hardships he's going through, what with trying to come to terms with himself but – the fact that he has a dark side and he refuses to succumb to it makes him better than anyone else she knows. And if he were to, it would only be wth good intentions. She trusts him completely with her life because from the very start she – because she l-loves him. ''

Ichigo stared at her in wide eyed shock, body unmoving. _Were we talking about the book after all? She couldn't possibly mean that she l-loves me...could she?_ A small bubble of hope rose in his chest and he tried to squash it viciously. Orihime's eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let then drop, fiddling with the hem of her skirt in her nervousness.

''I love you Ichigo.'' Her voice was barely more than a whisper but he heard it, his brain trying to convince him that he was having hallucinations. She couldn't possibly...could she? Her glistening eyes, filled with an overwhelming amount of love for him told him that it was true.

''But-but I'm no good for you, Orihime – I mean Inoue!'' he quickly corrected himself, cursing that he had slipped up like that. Orihime's eyes widened then shone with understanding.

''You called my name. When I...died ''– (Ichigo flinched at the memory). ''When I woke up in the Spirit Realm I could hear you repeat my name over and over.'' Ichigo looked at her dumbfounded.

'_What you have transcends death...'_

With new found determination, Orihime looked straight in to his deep brown eyes. 'If anything, I'm not good enough for you and I guess that I'm selfish like that but...I need to know if you feel the same or not.'

Brown and grey locked, an intense fire lighted within them, originating from their very core. Their very souls. Calloused hands snaked their way round the side of her neck, framing her face and sending sparks throughout her body. Hesitantly but with a definite air he slowly moved his face closer to hers, all the while never breaking eye contact.

Their lips met lightly at first and their eyes fluttered closed. He pressed his lips to hers once more harder, firmer. Their lips moulded beneath each others, moving in a synchronization and pattern that could not be learnt, but was purely instinctual. One arm slid down her arm, raising goose bumps along her skin, before wrapping possessively around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Her hands in turn slid up his chest tantalizingly slowly, before wrapping around his neck, where she ran her fingers through his soft spiky hair. His tongue stroked her bottom lip, asking for permission to enter her mouth. Ichigo may have been a forceful person in many aspects of his life, but never this. Shyly, but eagerly, she opened her mouth, letting his tongue slip inside, to explore her, to taste her.

There was no physical gap between them as they intertwined in to one. Their skin was on fire but pleasantly so. Only when the need for oxygen became unbearable did they separate. They panted heavily, forehead to forehead, eyes to eyes.

'I never, ever want to leave your side again Orihime,' he said earnestly, his voice low and heavy. It made a shiver run down the back of her spine. God she loved the sound of her name on his tongue. He smiled suddenly. 'She loved him from the start? I must have been one blind fool,' he shook his head regretfully.

'Yeah Ichigo, you were,' she said playfully. He captured her lips lightly once more, before nestling her head under his chin.

'I guess we have a lot to make up for then,' he replied simply.

*

Rukia knew that Ichigo would get irritated by all the Twilight talk but seriously-_did he have to walk off? _She got up and headed towards the stairs when she heard two very familiar voices. Crouching down behind the door on the pretence of adjusting her shoes and socks, she listened to every word, being said.

She caught Tatsuki's eye who looked bored from the Twilight centred conversation and discretely beckoned her over.

'What?' Tatsuki whispered kneeling down in front of Rukia. Rukia put a lip to her fingers before indicating that she should listen...and listen they did, with big, happy goofy smiles that their two best friends had FINALLY gotten together.

'What are you two grinning about, over there? Let me in on it too!' Keigo exclaimed in his usual noisy way.

'Hey why isn't my Orihime here yet?' Chizura asked, suddenly noticing the glaringly obviously missing Orihime. She moved towards them as did Keigo. Tatsuki and Rukia's eyes widened. Tatsuki nodded at Rukia, before rushing to take both of the idiots down.

They respected their friends' right to privacy after all...particularly Rukia, who managed to snap a few photos of the new couple, with a new phone she had brought from Urahara.

Yes Rukia respected her friends' privacy but she also loved chappy and this would make excellent blackmail material.

* * *

A/N: FINISHED! Omg I can't believe it. It's 2:37am and I'm knackered. But I just had to finish this – longest chapter yet and it's 6 (technically 5) days early!

(looks around nervously) I'm really sorry if there are people who read this who don't like twilight-i just thought that there were certain characteristic parallels in Edward/bellas relationship to ichi/hime that could work...so yh...i dunno...i hoped it worked.

You have no idea how much i was blushing and giggling during that kiss scene (happy now saj?). I can me so immature lol.

Anywayz, i might not get to ritin fanfic again soon (updating this much invariably means im neglecting more pressing hwmk urgh-can u blame me tho?) but i'll try. Dunno if i'll do ichi/hime again, depends on my mood. (dnt worry, im so not crossing over in to )

Anyways thank you so much for reading this fic, I hope you enjoyed it.

Please leave a review and tell me wht you thought!

Ta!

Missy

xxx


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